big life. small living.

Birthday Week

This week absolutely flew! I almost forgot to post about my birthday last weekend. I cannot believe I am 32 years old and need to pinch myself to make sure this is real life. Often I take a look around and wonder how I got here and how I could possibly be old enough. Do you ever feel like you are still just playing house?

One of my favorite things about being the adult is that I get to make up the rules. And the rule in our house is that we celebrate birthday weeks. So Alex sprinkled little birthday surprises throughout the week but the real festivities began Friday night.

We kicked off the dessert-heavy weekend with the new dairy free Ben and Jerry’s in two different flavors. Both were AH-mazing!

Saturday morning I attempted to offset all the sugar with a big workout. Before I could get far I was stopped in my tracks by this:

My hilarious friends decorated our car for my birthday and left balloons, streamers and jelly beans for me. It was probably the funniest thing anyone has ever done for me on my birthday!

Alex and I tackled a 5k run before I headed to bootcamp for a push-pull (heavy arms) workout with friends. Later I enjoyed my free birthday coffee with my workout buddies.

Once I was showered and cleaned up Alex picked me up and treated me to a wonderful birthday lunch at Kindred. We have been hearing great things about this restaurant since their opening. Their chef is also a James Beard nominee! While the meal was delicious we had a few issues with the service. Nothing to keep us away but just a little inconvenience.

We split the cheeseburger and the shrimp roll and both were delicious. I had a Caesar salad on the side and it was incredibly tasty. I didn’t want to stop eating!

Alex let them know it was my birthday and they generously brought us the birthday cake with ice cream and sprinkles. I was in birthday heaven!

You had me at sprinkles!

We spent the rest of the afternoon shopping for cars and Easter dresses for the girls. Both ventures were successful. We waited to buy the car until Monday when we could take it to our mechanic to have it checked out but we (spoiler alert) bought it! And I also found great deals on boutique dresses for the girls at a local consignment store, Kid to Kid.

I was ready for the birthday cuddles when we made it back home late afternoon. I missed my girls! We spent the rest of the evening at home, snuggled close, eating a Blue Apron meal that Alex prepared and vegging in front of the TV.

Just one of many desserts for the weekend!

On Sunday Ruthie and I stayed home from church and caught up on extra sleep. And then we joined our good friends at a local winery that afternoon. The weather was beautiful. We planned a delicious picnic of hummus and crackers, deviled eggs, spinach artichoke dip, and fruit. I brought a sheet cake I picked up at Trader Joe’s and it was amazing. I want to eat this all day every day!

Seriously! Go getchya some! Our girls ran around and played in the yard while the ladies enjoyed a wine tasting and the guys sipped craft beers. It was a perfect afternoon and a perfect cap to an amazing birthday weekend.

And then Monday we were back to the grind! I mentioned this week has flown by. All the meetings, appointments at the bank, trips back and forth to Huntersville to purchase our new car and a job interview (very part time) has kept us so busy. Also running every day. I am shocked that I am sitting here and it is Friday night again already! What a week to start my 33rd year!